Apparatus for processing food stock



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Jan. l, 1 52 D. w. GRISWOLD ETAL 2,530420 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FOOD s'rocx 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fild May 3. 1947 Do'NALb W. GRISWOLD HARoLo N. RICKET A TTOPNE Y Jan. 1, 1952 D. w. GRISWOLD ETAL 2,580,420

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FOOD STOCK Filed May 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 & 4:

1952 D. w. GRswoLD EI'AL 2, 80,420

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FOOD STOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 3, 1947 n Saw Y mwm E m W RN, wfm W Bm L A FIG.4:

atentec Jan. l, 95

i UNITED S TATES OFFICE 2,5so,42'o PFARTUS Fon Pooassme Fo'oj s'r'oei Donald w. Griswolm oe and Hamm- N.

Ricket, Amherst, Ohio, assto'stOAn'Qlean Speeialty Company, Amber-st, Ohio,- a. cor- The; inveriti'on relates to epparatus for' pr de es'sing food steme and particularly to eppemts'` io'r processing fresh pe'shable food stock such as vg'etables. The invention' is particularly service bi'e ior 'washing. fresh Vegetable& For most Vegetable food stock, the` inventioi also sei-ves eiciently as a precoolng or chilliig o eration, and, alsor in` many inst'ances for deconteminatin of dirty;` infested,. die' aise'd or oontaminated food stock. The invention invo'lves apparatus ioi the i.

continuous processing of food stock, and, preferaby, an\ individual' processing thereof. By this it 'is meant thatthe app'aratu's processes a great duan tity of food stock pieces, such as a; large quantty of vegetables `at one time by a continuous operation but the' stock pieces or' ve'getables' are preferoje-ly` not' Weshed in launched: iormation, but each Vegetable, leef,` or `piece receive's its own` individual treatment. *Dhe invention is suitable fortproce'ss'ing fresh:` perishable food stock of many verieties such as ettuc'e beets, carrots, radist'es, green onions; parsley, ceiery, sweet corn,` cucum b'efis eni ve, escerole, strawberriese apples pearsr tomato'es; pickles, etea The' appairatus .processes ish to the leaves, stems, or tissues. Eheprocessing isefiectedautomatically,` and without necessity of experienced' operators, and; at a high rate of production;

The annexed' :drawings and' the following'` description set' forth in detail certain means exemplifyi ng the "zihvention, such drawin'gs and description disc'losing, however, only one' of 'thevariousformsojtapparatts in' which the prinoipi of the iiven tion may be .embodieduan'd only e,` few ofnthe various series of .steps Baby which the improved` methods may be worked.

In said annexed drawings:

Figur& 1 'is a. :top planshowing about 'one-half the' length of `the apparatus, including the dis--` eharge 'orsfrorit end thereof Figure IA is a top plan ofthe remainder oi the apparatus,- ?including the .receiving or ;rear end-, Figures 1 and A combined beingtagtop .ilaxuo'i'` the'completeapparatus Figura- IB ;is ta fragmentary-side elevation *of* edge;

` Figu re 6 a; side view ofa detail, taken from the mone indicated by the` line 6--.-:Ii',` Figure 5.

Referring to' the' arinexett ara-Wings' in which same' pau-tas are indicate& by` the' samerspe'c titre numbers in the several: views, a mai-n frame i oi smetos formaiatiori, and extending from the feed or tear end` oi the apparatusforwarcly for &belit two thrds the: length of the apparatus; is 'ovide'd tor the support and acc'ommodation of a Water tenk 35 and ev seeondsmaller irame 2 .of sieltori formatom ane located reerwaroly ad'j a cent of the discharge' or mm end of the' apps;-` rats'; pi ovides ai support for certain a.ctua`.tmg` elements, and certain final-spmying elements li.

During washing operetion the stock is con-- veyect through the tenk e the area. covered` by mesc ayers 1:5 mmm; feedstation 8 to e. .disa` chrg station E :by endless foram ino'us `con'.-` v 'e'y'o 4 'i'i albl y forme& from 01056151 woven Wir@ which is' propellect from` a: motor L The tenk s' is sujplied fresh or' treated water from contmned pipo; l r, Fgure m, and thewter in' the tenk-:3 is'maintained `at arievei indicates by w 'throu h the meo ium ot noverflowcutet 'z and dreit! !2 Thewater in the 3 is? ieci' culateci by' a `mim 44, Figure' 2, and sdimert is continuous 'or periodically drewr ofl from the bottomof the tenk 3` through codes ne having valves :551 the taik 3 having a;` bottom` ofs'aw'tth fbr'i''atioi-and the cocks w being: piece& the respective low points otthe water' `bottc'm' A me processing rocedure eficted `bythe ap pepi-sms' thus in' general terms which es' ratus will beheremafler described in detail, consists in eeding .the vegetasbies at the mmnmendi s by a beltal l passing over t a.` pulley ll se'em d to@ :shti-f t` shitem by e :belt 24 from &motor ::rea i i The belt l ts diseharges the' .vegetables oii toe .iabricehute &Zsorng wouid on a'oller amendaheid an eXte'ddposition by any ;suitabie festonim& :means ;(not shown) at its bottom The `ehute 2182 delives :the `v'egetelbies .on` tmthe 1301? runoi cthe belt ladjacently 'forwarclly of `:the puiley `15:.` The vgeta bis. are con'iveyed by th'r belit i& lengt iwise of and :inthe .tenk "3 i where they eressubjectsd .to any desired degree` of tur bul'ent water-e indueedtz by a plurality o'i lon gitudi illy-:reciprocated stag'gered"seriesofsprey noz zles ::Mathmugh which water` :ait` any de'sired `:aressue i is supplied. the Vegetables being turned. mliedaiidztumbledzat a suitable violence inwthe tenk 3" nionthe' top run of the: beltlansiin e se--` lective depth o'f wateriabove-uthebelt. The belt &puss'esout of the front` of the tenk uandfinaly Convey& the vegetablesathroughxthe ereamor the skeleto'ctramenz where they are given ai -final spmrand rime by thespray ndares wand then:

discharged at the machine end 9 adjacently forwardly of the pulley 6 on to a conveyor 2! engaging a pulley 18 secured to a shaft 19. The conveyor ZI also serves as a means upon which so-called "dry" inspection and final trimming of the cleaned vegetables can be effected.

The various apparatus details for 'efiecting the above procedure, and controlling the procedure, according to requirements and desired results, are as follows:

From the shaft of a motor |3 for actuating the water-recirculating pump 44, Figures 1 and 2, a belt 55 is driven, which belt 56 drives a pulley 55 secured to a shaft 44 intersecting the housing of the pump 44 and serving to drive vanes (not shown) to Withdraw water through a pipe 43 from a chamber 42 in a tank portion 35 laterally extended from one side of, and communicating with, the front end of the main tank 3. The pump 44 is mounted at floor level and the withdrawn water passes therefrom through a pipe 45 extended transversely under the tank 3 and at its far end communicating with a rearwardly and longitudinally extended pipe section 45 which at its rear end, Figure 2A, communicates with an upwardly extended fiexible conduit 46 having a control valve 46 adjacent its upper end and communicating at its top with a. longitudinally extended header pipe 41 from which extend a plurality of spaced transverse pipes 48 having each a plurality of depending spray nozzles l4 directed downwardly and forwardly toward the surface of the water in the tank 3. The nozzles |4 are provided with means (not shown) for varying the orice thereof and are adjustably mounted so that the angle of the water stream issuing therefrom can be selected as desired.

The laterally extended tank portion or compartment 35 is separated from the main tank portion 3 by a depending partition 36. Figures 2 and 4, which partition 36 stops short of the bottom of the tank 3 and thus provides an opening 31 through which water passes into the side tank 35. The water is screened as it passes from the main tank portion 3 to a free area 42 adjacent the outside portion of the tank portion 35 by a succession of longitudinally extending spaced screens 38, 39, 40, and 41, the meshes of which are progressively smaller so that pieces of sediment of progressively smaller size are strained out and drop. to the inclined floor of the tank portion 35 whence they can ,be continuously or periodically removed through the cock 49.

Different kinds of vegetables, and oftentimes different types of soil, and different conditions of the same kind of vegetables. require different or varying washing treatments to effect a thorough cleansing. This particularly applies to the amount of washing, and the strength of water pressure, and the angle at which the sprays are applied for effecting suitable agitation and turbulence of the water in the tank 3, and to the character and pressure of the sprayingwithin the small framework 2. A part of the necessary adjustable and varying control is effected by the water pressures utilized from the sprayers I4 and l5, and a, part from the height of' the conveyor 4 in the tank 3. The position of the conveyor 4 in the tank 3 is vertically adjustable to regulate the depth of 'water thereabove according to the characteristics of the stock to be processed and the particular processing which is desired. This adjustment is efiected by making the guide parts of 'the frame upon which the belt 4 'is mounted and through which it. passes of a plurality of sections, three, in the form of apparatus shown, a rear section 25 which is vertically adjustable as a whole, a front section 21 which is fixed, and an intermediate section 26 which is pivoted at its two ends relative to the respective sections 25 and 21. The sections 25, 26, and 21 are elongated frame members each having two opposed side members, of which the side members 21 are secured to and adjacently inwardly of the side members of the skeleton framework 2, the side members 25 are secured to the inside faces of the bottom of members 16, Figure 3, depending from elevated cross members TI, and the intermediate members 26 are pivotally secured at one end to the outside faces of the lower ends of the members 25 and secured at the other end, somewhat rearwardly of the section 21, to the upper ends of the inside faces of brackets 92 erected on and pivotally connected to a shaft 93 mounted in ears !06 forwardly extended from the front end of the frame-work l.

The means herein shown for purposes of illustration for Vertically adjusting this articulated frame structure is as follo'ws:

The 'elevated cross frame members 11 from which tl-.e members 16 depend are supported on opposed pairs of elongated depending rods 'H, Figures 2A and 3, which are exteriorly threaded for a substantial part of their length and engage internally threaded tubular blocks o outwardly extended from the tank 3 upon opposite sides of the skeleton frame-work i and adjacent the top of the latter, which rods 'll at their upper ends are secured within beveed gears 12 engagng beveled gears 13 secured to cross shafts 14 provided at one end with a, crank arm 15 and mounted upon the cross members 11. This mechanism for Vertical adjustment is provided at both ends of the frame-work 25. It will thus be seen that actuation of the crank arms 15 will result in lifting or lowering the rame-work 25, and one end of the frame-work 26 to affect the depth in the tank 3 at which the conveyor 4 runs and thus control the depth of water in which the vegetables are immersed and tumbled about.

In addition to the end pulleys 5 and 6 over which the conveyor 4 travels, and two lower run drive pulleys 29 and 38, Figu-re 2, secured to power shafts 29 and 30 driven by the motor 1, it engages vertically superimposed rollers 34 and 33, Figures 2A and 3, mounted between the framework members 25 and'on shafts 32 and 3l respectively mounted in the bottom ends of the depending members 16 and in the frame-work 25 and the frame-work 26, Figure 3, the shafts 3I and 32 serving respectively to pivotally secure the iframe-work 25 to the framework 26, and to secure 'the frame-work 25 to the depending members 16. Also, the upper run of the conveyor 4 engages a roller 96 mounted on a shaft 91 supported at the rear end of the side frame members 21. Furthermore, the conveyor 4 throughout its length runs over spaced rollers 8! mounted on transverse shafts 8| mounted on the frame-Works 25, 25, and 21,

which rol1ers'8l are provided for both runs of the 5 mounted intermediate their lengths upon trunnions 63 mounted; in: brackets 64. rearwardly ex'.- tended from the framerwo'k 2. Thiis ;the pulleys 29. and 39 can be moved. around the.` axis of the trnnions 63` as a, center and. one. of the pulleys moved forwardly and the other rearwardly and thus eect a take-up: or a looseniug of the. con-` veyor 4. The power shafts 23 and 3!) to which the. pulleys` 29 and 30` are respectively secured are provided. with gears: LOT and ma: respectively, both` of; which` engage an interrxediate` gear 61 driven from the shaft 55 of the. motor 'l and.

mounted on one. of: the trunnions 63.4 The opposite trunnion 631 is provided. with a. pawi and rat'chet. assembly 169; of. which' the` pawlis secured to a. bracket 64, whereby theposition; of the pul- 1eys 29` and 30 foriproper` conveyor tightening can` be suitably maintained.` The intermediate gear 61 is actuate'd from the.` shaft 65 ot themotor 'I pulley' (not shown) actuate'd by the` shaft 65. The lower run of theconveyor t passes. on. to the top of the drive pulley 29 from front to rear,` and thence downwardl'y and forwardly` to: the top of and around the drive pul ev 3 from rear to front and thence passesupwardly and. rearwardly to the top of the large piney a.

For a final` cleaning oiithe vegetables by means of the sp ay nozzl'es: 5 in the` `treme :L` rresh chilled or treated wateris supplied through` a, top valved net !04- andfiows in a; header pipe um in both directions transversely across the top of the frame 2, thence downwatrdly through` the vertical conduits IO I on the` two sides of the rame: 2, which conduits o communicate with inwardly extending transverse conduitsl ti& two of the.`

whereby the amount of Water can. be controlled;

both that which impinges, upon` the top of the vegetables and that which impinges upon the bottom thereof. The last-mentioned impinging` wa-- ter reaches the' vegeta'bles through the mesh of the. conveyor 4 and` so' is'bro'kengup and does not impinge upon. the vegetabies" with the same `force esthe water sprayed from the topand, therefore; does not' require sucl'r precautions to prevent' injury to' the leaves* andtissues" of? some vegetables as: is required. in' controilingtthe water from the topsprayers [5 which impinge direictly upon ;the vegetables.

Both the' spravnozzles [4 and' !5 can:- bere'- ciprocated longitudinally* of the apparatus'so as toimpinge upon all sections of' the watersurface inthetank 3` and', also; to effect repeatedspray ing of the same vegetables by the same sprays as the vegetables pass* through thei frame 2". This latter result is effected'by gvingthe spraycnozzles |l5` a ifaster. speed' of travel` than the. travel. of'the conveyor 4.',

The` reciprocatibn of the spray; nozzles I 4', as herein shown for purposes of' illustration., is effected by a pair of' discs 5I,` Figures 1` and'. 2", Secured to a cross shaft 62' and rotated fi'oma motor 22,. Pivot'all'y securediby. one endtt'oand adjacent the periphery of the di'scs 5`l` are a respective pair of links 52 whose other ends are pivotaily mounted on a cross rod !09, Figures 1A and 2A. Carriages 53 have wheels I Il] which run on rails 54 mounted on top of the frame-work l.

the cross; red m intersecting thesari-lag& bodie 53:. The. wheels u n are. re'straine'd -from raismg by top rai1s54 In one earriage 53 is mounted au end ot the: rear cross. pipo 4& havin g depending therefrom form of the sprayers t tx The* other' end oi cross: pipo w passes: through the opposed eairrtasge 53 and comm'uni-cates with the hea'de pine 41; As `hereinbefore describedythere are a; purarityofspaced cross:` nip-es 48', andieaeh one' isa mounted mcorresponding carriage bodies 53 and cambe re'ctprocatedon` the raiis 54,a1l` of the comta: bei-ng recipro'oat'ed' simultaneousiyi rinas# mucha-s the: severa carriage bodies 53 on; one side of: the. appa-ratus are connected by the longi tudinally extending header pipe 4 'Themean'siforreeiprocatingr the final elearii'ngr sprayers tsisshowr as consisting also of a pair ozfi discs' 51 rotatabiy mouht'edupon: a. cross: sham Bl mounted on top of the skeleton frame z these discs 51 being rotated from 'a motor 2'3 an bei-n'gt pivotaliy se'ouredztozeccentricallylocatedlinks 5& at: one en'd. of: the letter; the opposite em of the: links 582 b'eing'pivota lly securedto cross radee? irt'erse'ctirg` opposed: oarriages 59 The car riages sa ai-.ei intersected by the `Conduit oo andi earty theatter The carriage bodies a are pro vided'. with wheels z: that. roli: upon:` and between opposed Iongitudinals upper' sid'ef members' omttraoks BB: of the skeleton i rame' L u A bzsu'sh 8'3 is' provided: aidjacently' rearwardy ofi `Joel'ow theudi'scharge roll 6` andi adjacently below the'- l'o'wer'runot the oonveyor t for' the pur' mose. of: gently rerovir 'g` from; the mesh of the conveyor 4' amy adherirgpieoes of: the` vegetables which-may have become:` entwmed thereinand for chargrg` themon' to: thedisoha'rgeheit i ?il .i This procedure represents a .considerable saving;` of mina-ble mat'erialwhen washin'g individual pi'e'ce's sucl u as spina'ch. Thisibrush 835 has a pair of: spheri'caily woun'd' peripherals brushing: members &35% 'lihebrush 823 isi securedto` a sha'ft 89 and moves in' the: direction n'di'eated by' the arrow' inmigure 2 rand. gently roller ther `piecesi out' of or ofi from the conveyorrm'esh-as the nrusl passe's` under the. COHYGUOI'4L The rotationi of the brush se in the direction. indicated is efiected froni thej shaiftsfl of the frontwpullew eibymeans oi achair; sfl which engages a sprock'et .80 `secured"to the short 81; and? also` en'gag'es ai sp'rocket H I Secured to the shaft afi; which:` shefit ,89 15 mounted in az pair ofi` bra'cltet's 90 supported by and forwardly extended rrom. the skelet'on mame 2;

The discharge belt 21 is sprocketdriven' from it's own individual* motor zo.:

` A pair-*of oppose'd ibngtudihally extending sideguards 94are provided at' the-lba dih g end 8 of the apparatus and a corresp'onding pair of sid` guard s' 9 5 at the' discha-rge end 9` The described* structure of afresh` perishable fojdstock Washer 'len'ds itself to quite universal application. The' conveyor-di'iving motor` 'I has" a* speew tra-ns i'ssion so that the' rate-of travel of the convy or' ,4 carrbe widely varied` according to* the requirements of the particular' foods 'being' and can be ,elimin'ated if the particular stock be'- ing treated does not require the water agitation and spraying effected by reciprocating nozzles.

The flavor, turgidity and other characteristics of many foods are materially enhanced by the prompt chilling or precooling thereof. This is particularly true of such perishable foods as sweet corn, green peas, and endive. The improved apparatus described herein serves efficiently for any such precooling operation. During such use of the apparatus, the conveyor 4 is operated at a comparatively slow speed and the operation consists essentially in a cooling of the food pieces by an immersion in, and a slow passage thereof, through the tank 3. In this case, agitation of the water might not be required nor a spraying by the nozzles !5, in which event the motors 22 and 23 are shut ofi, and the motor 'I run at its low speed.

What We claim is:

1. Apparatus for processing food stock comprising a frame, a water tank mounted therein, a pump and conduits recirculating water through the tank including nozzles discharging into the tank, means for maintaining a water level in the tank, tank sediment drainage means, an endless conveyor and means for moving the same through the tank and in an area exteriorly of the tank, conveyor rollers, and a guiding support for the conveyor over which the latter travels, said support having a vertically-movable tank section, at least one fixed section exteriorly of the tank, and a section intermediate the aforementoned sections, pivotally Secured to` the tank section, and extending from the tank and exteriorly thereof to a position adjacent the fixed section, means for vertically adjusting the tank section of the conveyor support to vary the depth at which the stock carried by the conveyor is conveyed through the tank, conveying means receiving the processed stock from the conveyor, and means for tensioning the conveyor in accordance with the disposition thereof occasioned by the adjustment of the conveyor support.

2. Apparatus for processing food stock comprising a frame, a water tank mounted therein, a pump and conduits recirculating Water through the tank including adjustable nozzles discharging into the tank in the direction of water movement therethrough, 'means for maintaining a water level in the tank, tank sedimentdrainage means, an endless conveyor and means for moving the same through the tank and in' an area exteriorly of the tank, conveyor rollers, and a guiding support for the 'conveyor over which the latter travels, said support having a verticallymovable tank section, at least one fixed section exteriorly of the tank, and a section intermediate the aforementioned sections, pivotally Secured to the tank section, and eXtending from the tank and exteriorly thereof to a position adjacent the fixed section, means for vertically adjusting the tank section of the conveyor support to vary the depth at which the stock ca'ried by the conveyor is conveyed through the tank, means for spraying the stock exterorly of the tank, means for reciprocating the last-mentioned spraying means longitudinallyof the stock run and at a speed greater than the stock run, conveying means receiving the processed stock from the conveyor, and means for tensioning the conveyor in accordance with the disposition thereof occasioned by the adjustment of the conveyor support. i

3. Apparatus for processing food stock comprising a frame, a Water tank mounted, therein, a pu'np and conduits recirculating water through the tank including adjustable nozzles discharging into the tank in the direction of water move-' ment therethrough, means for maintaining a water level in the tank, a plurality of adjacent screens of consecutively finer mesh for straining the water adjacently forwardly'of the pump, tank sediment drainage means, an endless oraminous conveyor and means for moving the same through the tank and in an area exteriorly of the tank, conveyor rollers, and a guidng support for the conveyor over which the latter travels, said sup-` port having a vertically-movable tank section, at

least one fixed section exteriorly of the tank, and* a section intermediate the aforementioned sections, pivotally Secured tothe tank section', and

extending in an upwardly inclined direction from the tank and exteriorly thereof to a position adjacent the fixed section, means for vertically adjusting the tank section of the conveyor support to vary the depth at which the stock carried by the conveyor is conveyed through the tank, means for reciprocating the nozzles longitudinally of the tank, means for spraying the stock exteriorly of the tank upon both the upper and lower faces of the conveyor run carrying the stock, means for reciprocating the last-mentioned spraying means longitudinally of the stock run and at a speed greater than the stock run, conveying means receiving the processed stock from the conveyor, and means for tensioning the con veyor in accordance with the disposition thereof occasioned by the adjustment of the conveyorsupport. v

DONALD W. GRSWOLD.

HAROLD N. RICKET.

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